Somaliland: State Raises Public Awareness on SDF and SSA Funds

At briefing conference aimed at “Enhancing Awareness and State-Citizens Relations” in Hargeisa

By: Yusuf M HasanHARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The government has publicly revealed its funding benefits that emanate from the Somaliland Development Fund-SDF and the Somaliland Special Arrangements-SSA Framework.State and corresponding officials from SDF and the SSA unit jointly made their presentations at a Briefing Conference in Hargeisa themed “Enhancing Awareness and State-Citizens Relations”at the function pooling participants from Public and private sectors, local Universities, Local and International nongovernmental Organizations as well as the ordinary citizens the minister of planning Dr Saad Ali Shire said the main objective was to inform the country who and where donor funds come from as well as how they, funds, are utilized locally.Dr Saad Ali Shire whose planning ministry facilitated the briefing conference and among main speakers with the purview on “Historical Background of new Deal and the Somaliland Special Arrangement-SSA in particular” also touched on Aid Framework paradigm shift as per the New Aid architecture.Upon giving a detailed background and purpose of the SSA the planning minister also briefed participants on the country’s sources and routes of channeling foreign aid both developmental and Humanitarian.

The Somaliland Special Arrangement which is a separate and distinct part of the Somali Compact is the sole framework for the EU engaging with Somaliland’s development process under the New Deal partnership. The simultaneous endorsement of the New Deal principles was conducted in the spirit of the 13 April Ankara Communiqué signed by the Government of Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia as part of their on-going dialogue process, in which the two sides agreed to work together to encourage greater and more effective international development assistance.developed through separate processes and will be implemented using separate government systems and mechanisms, their concurrent and mutually reinforcing implementation will help to ensure greater cooperation, trust and goodwill between all Somali people.Informing that Somaliland is beneficiary from three major funding channels for its development and humanitarian activities whose origin are of internal and external origins said,“Locally accrued development funds are from revenue collected by the government, private Citizens both in country and Diaspora as well as from International Non Governmental organizations” with the planning minister adding that“Though there are 230 INGOs registered and providing immense support to Somaliland both Humanitarian and development most of their activities are in partnership with local counterparts with the government providing oversight”On the other and most important channel of funding with most impact to the country were those availed be foreign governments and Bodies and disbursed through the government more so in relation to the SSA and SDF”

“While most third world countries are recipients of a large amount of funds for development in the form of Loans, Grants and Investment the unrecognized status of our country confines us to grants only plus minimal foreign investments”Revealing on the many donor governments that subsidize the Somaliland budget as well international development organizations that channel their input through local NGOs’ and to a lesser extend line ministries“Various sources adding that grants from Friendly governments and International bodies like the European Union and World Bank are pooled directly to the Somaliland central coffers through Special kitties like SDF and SSA.Singling out the SDF and SSA whose kitty is provided by several government and international bodies directly to the government of Somaliland, Dr Saad Ali said stressed on the fact that citizens are already benefitting especially in the Agriculture, Environment, Fishery, Water, Livestock and roads infrastructure sectors.In his Briefing on Government funded development projects State minster for finance Osman Sahardiid gave a breakdown of activities which have been facilitated in the Budget including subsidy grants.

Of his purview of SDF, Najah Aden the deputy team leader at the SDF Secretariat in Hargeisa revealed that the kitty which was initially established by the UK and Denmark governments in 2011 but currently supported by many governments especially from Europe Najah informed that several multimillion projects have already been completed while others are in the works.“Out of the total kitty of $62m availed through SDF as per last year various projects worth over $17m have already been implemented and currently being utilized by citizens in various parts of the country” said Najah

The Somaliland Development Fund (SDF) is a purse spearheaded UK and Danish governments thus provide a single vehicle through which donors can support Somaliland’s development goals while supporting it fill a critical gap through funding projects that are fully aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) 2012 -2016 while at the same time recognizing the role of GoSL in the delivery of basic services.The SDF which also support GoSL’s communication of results to build accountability and transparency has since inception in 2011 attracted thence seen an increase of foreign governments utilizing it, SDF, to channel their Somaliland development funds i.e. Norway, Holland and Switzerland among others.“The SDF designed to strengthen the state-citizenship relationship and enhance accountability and domestic revenue generation as an overture to more stability and prosperity in Somaliland is a great success so far while more and better are anticipated” said the Somaliland planning minister Dr Saad Ali Shire.

The SDF and SSA briefing conference with the theme “Enhancing Awareness and State-Citizens Relations” also saw numerous officials give an overview of their institutions as pertained to the issue at hand notably• The Public Finance Management Reform-PFM Coordinator Dr Mohamed Samatar on Somaliland PFM and• Head of SSA Secretariat in Hargeisa Mubarak Abdilahi Daljir on the Somaliland Special Arrangement FrameworkFollowing conclusion of briefing and viewing of development related documentaries the participants utilized the Q&A opportunity to query and secure information on various features related to presentations delivered.